Hydraulic turbine



Dec. 17, 1929. w. J. RHEINGANS HYDRAULIC TURBINE 7 Filed March 2. 1928Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J'.RHEINGANS, OF WEST ALLIS, VJISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T ALLIS-CHALMERSMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, W ISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE Application filed March 2,

The present invention relates generally to improvements in theconstruction of hydraulic machines, and relates more specifically toimprovements in housings and fluid deflectors for impulse water Wheelsor the like.

An object of the invention is to provide improved housing structure forimpulse water Wheels or the like. Another object of the invention is toprovide an improved deflector for preventing undesirable interferencewith the operation of a wheel propelled by means of a jet of'fluiddelivered thereagainst, by the water leaving the wheel after the energyof the jet has been spent. A further object of the invention is toprovide simple and efficient means for enabling operation of jetpropelled impulse turbines at maximum efficiency. Still another objectof the invention is to provide means for preventing undesirableretardation of the rotation of a bucket wheel, by air friction orwindage. A further object of the invention is to provide effective meansfor eliminating interference with the rotation of a hydraulic turbine,by the water delivered from the wheel after expending its energythereon. Another object of the invention is to provide an extremelycompact housing structure for impulse water wheels or the like wherebythe space occupied by such machines is reduced to a minimum. These andother objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription.

A clear conception of an embodiment of the invention and of the mannerof constructing and of operating devices incorporating the'improvemenumay be had by referring to the drawing accompanying andforming a part of this specification in which like reference charactersdesignate the same or similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is v a transverse vertical section through an impulse wheelhousing and jet deflector, showing the rotor and jet producing nozzle ofthe unit in elevation.

Fig. 2 is av longitudinal vertical section through the housing anddeflector, and through the impulse wheel or rotor.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the improved housing and deflector.

5 0 The type of impulse Wheel to which the.

HYDRAULIC TURBINE 1928. Serial No. 258,569.

present invention is especially applicable comprises in general a rotorconsisting of a disk 2 having a series of buckets 4 secured to theperiphery thereof, and a nozzle 9 having a movable needle 10 fordelivering a jet 11 of water of any desired intensity, against thesuccessive buckets A tangentially of the rotor. The disk 2 is mountedupon a main shaft 3 which may be connected to an energy absorber such asan electric generator, and which is supported in suitable bearings, notshown.

The major portion of the rotor is enclosed in a close fitting housing 5which preferably permits only suflicient clearance to avoid striking ofthe buckets against the interior of the housing. The lower portion ofthe main housing 5 is closed by means of a deflector consisting ofdownwardly directed or curved plates 6 which extend in close proximityto opposite sides of the rotor and which also extend longitudinally ofthe jet 11 delivered from the nozzle 9. The jet deflector is providedwith an opening through which the successive buckets 4: of the rotor maypass with minimum clearance, the opening being formed with a medialconstriction 7 in order to reduce the clearance as much as possible. Aninclined wall 12 which is associated with the end of the deflectorplates 6 and with the housing 5, crosses the axis of the jet, thedeflector being provided with an opening 13 adjoining the wall 12 inorder to permit drainage of any water which might have reached theinterior of the housing 5 into the discharge chamber 8. The deflectorwalls 6 may be directed downwardly away from the housing 5 and towardthe discharge chamber 8 and are capable of discharging the water whichimpinges against the walls 6 of the deflector in a downward direction.The end wall 12 is capable of likewise deflecting the portions of thejet 11 which may travel beyond the periphery of the rotor, downwardlyinto the chamber 8.

During normal operation of the impulse wheei, the needle 10 may beadjusted to deliver a et 11 of desired intensity against the successivebuckets 4 of the rotor. As the jet strikes these buckets it causesthewheel to rotate, the kinetic energy of the jet being transformed intorotary motion of the wheel,

and the water originally constituting the jet being eventuallydischarged by gravity into the discharge chamber 8. Most of the waterafter strikino the buckets 4 is discharged laterally therefrom. Thiswater strikes the curved side walls 6 of the deflector and isimmediately directed downwardly into the di charge chamber 8 withoutinterfering 'ith the rotation of the rotor. By virtue of the fact thatthe deflector closely approaches the disk 2 and the buckets 4:, thegreater portion of the et water after delivering its energy to thewheel, is prevented from entering the housing 5 and thereby obstructingthe free rotation of the rotor. Small quantities of water which mayenter the housing 5 are immediately discharged from the buckets 4. andare delivered through the opening 13 to the discharge chamber 8. Anyportions of the jet 11 which may pass beyond the sphere of actionthereof with respect to the buckets 4, will strike the inclined end wall12 and will likewise be deflected into the discharge chamber 8 withoutinterfering with the rotation of the wheel. The close fitting housing 5furthermore eliminates resistance to the rotation of the wheel due towindage resulting from the entrance of large volumes of air and theconsequent flow of this air around the buckets.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the housing anddeflector eliminate substantially all possible retardation to the motionof the rotor, thereby permitting operation thereof at maximumefficiency. The-close fitting housing 5 serves to eliminate windage, andthe side plates 6 of the deflector besides quickly dispensing the waterdischarged from the buckets, also prevent water from entering thehousing 5 and thereby retarding the rotation due to churning action. Theend wall 12 cooperates with the deflector to discharge the spent jet,thereby producing a combination of elements for insuring attainment ofmaximum efliciency by eliminat ing undesirable interference with therotary motion of the wheel.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction herein shown and described for variousmodifications within the scope of the claims may occur to personsskilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination,a rotor, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid against said rotor, and adeflector extending along the jet substantially parallel to the axisthereof and in close proximity to a side of said rotor between the rotoraxis and the jet axis, said deflector being curved to deliver fluidimpinging thereagainst away from said rotor.

2. In combination, a rotor, a nozzle for directing a jetof fluidtangentially against said rotor, and a deflector extending along the jetsubstantially parallel to the axis thereof and in close proximity to theopposite sides of said rotor between the rotor axis and the jet axis,said deflector being curved to deliver fluid impinging thereagainst awayfrom said rotor.

3. In combination, a rotor having buckets associated with the peripherythereof, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid against said bucketstangentially of said rotor, and a deflector extending along the jetsubstantially parallel to the axis thereof and in close proximity to theopposite sides of said rotor between said buckets and the rotor axis,said deflector being curved to deliver fluid discharged thereagainstaway from said rotor.

4. in combination, a rotor, a housing closely confining the majorportion of said rotor, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid againstsaid rotor outside of said housing, and a deflector extending along thejet substantially parallel to the axis thereof and in close proximity tot 1e opposite sides of said rotor, said deflector being curved todeliver fluid impinging thereagainst away from said housing.

5. In combination, rotor having a series of buckets associated with theperiphery thereof, a housing closely confining the major portion of saidrotor, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid against said bucketsoutside of said housing, and deflector extending along the jetsubstantially parallel to the axis thereof and in close proximity to theopposite sides of said rotor between said buckets and the rotor axis,said deflector being curved to deliver fluid discharged thereagainstaway from said housing 6. In combination, a rotor, a housing closelyconfining the major portion of said rotor, a nozzle for directing a jetof fluid tangentially against said rotor outside of said housing,

a deflector extending along the jet substan- .tially parallel to theaxis thereof and in close proximity to the opposite sides of said rotorat an end of said housing, said deflector being curved to deliver fluidimpinging thereagainst away from said housing, and a fluid deflectingwall co-acting with the end of said deflector and extending across theaxis of said jet beyond the sphere of action thereof with respect tosaid rotor.

'Z. In combination, a rotor, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluidagainst said rotor, a deflector extending along the jet substantiallyparallel to the axis thereof and in close proximity to the oppositesides of said rotor between the rotor and jet axes, said deflector beingformed to deliver fluid impinging thereagainst away from said rotor, andan inclined wall co-acting with the end of said deflector and extendingacross the axis of the jet beyond the sphere of action of the jetrelative to said'rotor.

8. In combination, a rotor having a series of buckets associated withthe periphery thereof, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid againstsaid rotor, and a deflector extending along the jet substantiallyparallel to the axis thereof and in close proximity to the oppositesides of said rotor between the rotor and jet axes, said deflector beingcurved away from said rotor and having a medially constricted elongatedopening for permitting I passage of the successive rotor bucketstherethrough with a minimum amount of clear ance.

9. In combination, a rotor having a series of buckets associated withthe periphery thereof, a housing closely confining the major portion ofsaid rotor, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid tangentially againstsaid rotor outside of said housing, and a deflector substantiallysealing the end of said housing adjacent to the sphere of action of thejet, said deflector being curved away from said housing and beingprovided with an opening for permitting discharge of fluid from withinsaid housing.

10. In combination, a rotor having a series of peripheral buckets, ahousing confining the major portion of said rotor with minimum clearanceadjacent to said buckets, a nozzle for directing a jet of fluid againstsaid buckets outside of said housing, and a laterally curvedlongitudinally straight deflector substantially sealing said housingadjacent to said jet and extending substantially parallel to the jetaxis.

In testimony whereof, the'signature of the inventor is aflixed hereto.

WILLIAM J. RHEINGANS.

